Wedding Do or Don't: Splitting the Cost of an Engagement Ring. Would You Do It?

Weddings don't necessarily have to follow tradition, right? So what about the engagement process?

Today—on Today, as a matter of fact!—there's an interesting story about how there's a new trend on the rise: couples splitting the cost of an engagement ring. In the story, Jaya Saxena talks about how she helped pay for the setting of her engagement ring: "I said that since I'm the one who wants a ring, I don't want the burden of the cost to be just on him. I asked him to use that diamond whenever the time came." So Jaya contributed (though she says she didn't exactly pay for an entire half), and that meant the couple has been able to save more money to pay for their upcoming wedding and honeymoon.

And wedding experts say that the trend may make sense: With more couples sharing financial responsibility and household decision-making, why not split the cost of the ring or repurpose a family heirloom? They say that the process may even help foster a new connection between the newlyweds-to-be. But some brides and grooms are so-so about the idea—maybe they want the ring to be a complete surprise, or they like the tradition of the groom bearing the cost and decision-making.

Personally, I think it depends entirely on the couple. And the mention of a repurposed family ring seems like a different issue altogether—that's something that's been going on for eons, and I'm not sure it's given to the bride-to-be just for cost purposes.

But what do you think? Is splitting the cost of an engagement ring a do or a don't? Would you do it? And what are your thoughts about family heirloom rings?